Patti Smith

"I believe that we, that this planet, hasn't seen its Golden Age. Everybody says its finished ... art's finished, rock and roll is dead, God is dead. Fuck that! This is my chance in the world. I didn't live back there in Mesopotamia, I wasn't there in the Garden of Eden, I wasn't there with Emperor Han, I'm right here right now and I want now to be the Golden Age ... if only each generation would realise that the time for greatness is right now when they're alive ... the time to flower is now"

Pictures from FuckYeahPattiSmith.

Screenshots from the amazing film Patti Smith: Dream of Life.

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The Panic in Needle Park (1971)

I know this is an inappropriate response to "a stark portrayal of life among a group of heroin addicts" but hot damn is Al Pacino sexy as fuck in this movie or what...

COMPUTER IS ON FIRE!!!

Al Pacino's incredible hotness aside... I loved this movie. Firstly because I would love any movie that contains this kind of old-school New York footage:

And secondly because it is a damn good film. Depressing and dark as it may be, the incredible performances from Al Pacino and Kitty Winn as the "dope-crossed" leads, and the naturalistic style of filming make for a gripping kind of bleak story telling. Not for everyone though, as I guess a movie about the daily life of two junkies wouldn't be! I'll let my friends on on imdb sum it up...

"It's not a rewarding experience in the typical sense but after spending two hours with miserable heroin addicts, it will make you feel better about your own lifestyle."

"The Panic In Needle Park is a gritty, often uncomfortable 110 mins in the company of lowlifes, pimps, prostitutes and dope addicts."

"Overall, the film is engrossing, and yet has a repulsive quality."

"Definitely one worth watching, unless you are depressed or have an aversion to seeing lengthy shots of half dead people putting dirty needles in their veins."

You have been warned! All of the above aside, I can still recommend The Panic in Needle Park for those want a bleakly beautiful and grittily real cinema verite snapshot of this time and place in the history of New York.

Erm... and for those who want to get their 1970's Al Pacino ON.... ;)

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Bright Star

"I almost wish we were butterflies and liv’d but three summer days – three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain"... John Keats, to Fanny Brawne, 1918

Wonderful article by Jane Campion on the compelling love story of Keats and Fanny Brawne here.

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Bill Cunningham, New York

What a swell guy! Oh my, this movie was so sweetly charming and moving. I was in floods of tears by the end. Which is odd because it's not at all a sad or depressing movie. Quite the opposite in fact! A cheesy person would call it "life affirming". And since I *am* a cheesy person, that it is! You would think this movie is about fashion and New York and photography. And you would be right, it is about all those things - and would be worth watching for that aspect alone (Bill is an incredibly astute photographer, and pretty much invented the style of street fashion photography which is the norm nowadays)

But also, simply because of the wonderful kind of human being Bill Cunningham is, it becomes a movie about so much more. About beauty and passion, and individuality, and living a life of integrity and kindness. So inspiring.

I cannot recommend it highly enough! *tears up*

A taste of Bill's photography... and sweet and hilarious disposition... here (Warning: watching his NYT Street Style videos is somewhat addictive!)

Mah-velous, isn't it kids!

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"If you really feel something...

...if there's something really inside you, it's important... it's almost a duty... to tell your story in a different way, and to present your vision"

Harmony Korine

Finally got around to watching 'Beautiful Losers' last week - I had been a little reticent to watch it as I thought it might be a little too full of hipster back-slapping for my tastes, plus the association with Terry Richardson put me off (if you want to know why I would feel this way, read this scathing interwebs takedown written by Tavi last week, which still has me applauding!)

Luckily not only was Terry blissfully absent, but the artists were truly humble and insightful - not only about their art and the state of the art world in general, but also about the wonderful connection they all have with each other. I came away being inspired by their beautiful attitudes to friendship and community as much as by their beautiful art. Both are amazing, so go watch this video! Then make some art AND hug your friends.. :)

Margaret Killagen

Barry McGee

Steve Powers

LOL at that list of demands! Espesh "FREAK STREAK" :)

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No One Knows About Persian Cats (2009)

Filmed illegally in just seventeen days, this "docu-drama" might have ended up as my favourite of all the MIFF movies this year. A fascinating, sweet, sad and illuminating tale about the underground (literally in many cases) Iranian rock/indie music scene. It's hard to take anything for granted after walking out of this movie - including actually being free to watch a movie like this :)

Proper review here.

It's talented director, Bahman Ghobadi, also wrote and directed the movie "Turtles Can Fly" which looks incredible.

While googling laws in Iran I came across this gem of information, courtesy of wikipedia:

Human rights activist... Shirin Ebadi complains that the section of the penal code "devoted to blood money, diyeh, holds that if a man suffers an injury that damages his testicles, he is entitled to compensation equal to a women's life," and this failure to make account for individual differences or cases is unfair. It means, according to Ebadi, that "if a professional woman with a PhD is run over in the street and killed, and an illiterate thug gets one of the testicles injured in a fight, the value of her life and his damaged testicle are equal."

Nice to know, hey ladies?

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"Life moves pretty fast sometimes. If you don't look around once in a while, you might miss it" (RIP, John Hughes)

As if I hadn't bawled enough by the end of this movie on the weekend...

(click to watch Jake Ryan-tastic final scene)

I then get to work and read this.

A more fitting and beautiful tribute I cannot imagine.

Of all the wonderful stories he created this is one of the loveliest!

Thank you John Hughes... from all the "Alisons"

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Hansel and Gretel (2007)

It's not often you see a horror movie and kind of want to move into the haunted house! But Hansel and Gretel could definitely be the exception to this rule. With a set that could have easily been designed by Mark Ryden (perhaps with a little help from David Lynch) where every surface overflows with evil bunnies, intensely cutesy furnishings and macabre dolls, and every meal is banquet of sickly pink cupcakes... why would you want to leave? Not that you can anyways... mwah ha ha ha!!!

Hansel and Gretel on imdb here.

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The Exploding Girl (2009)

The more I think about this movie the more I love it. Probably not for everybody, well definately not for people who like a lot of... well... things actually happening in their movies! But for me that was the beauty of this movie, it perfectly evoked a certain mood, and made it a piece of art, a simple enjoyable tale. Or... non-tale.

The movie basically follows the twenty something Ivy as she and her best friend spend a week long college break in Brooklyn, as their feelings for each other, and their dawning realisation of those feelings grows stronger. There's no Dawson's Creek-esque moment of rising then resolved drama, no kiss on a pier with a swelling emo-soundtrack blaring to life... but that's kind of the point. Moments that end up being important rarely announce themselves with a Sufjan Stevens song and a fireworks display. They just happen, mixed in with, and made up of, the mundanity and "everydayness" of life.

Proper review here.

Interview with the lovely Zoe Kazan, who played Ivy, here.

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Anna (1967)

Oh... Anna! This is the kind of movie you watch and just want to jump into the screen never to return to normal everyday life again. Instead you will now spend your days doing wacky go-go dances in the street, frequenting cafes with caddish french dreamboats, going wild at le discotheque...

And of course...

...being crooned at by Serge Gainsborough!

*sigh*

The movie also features this wonderful song by Marianne Faithfull...


And this gorgeously silly dance... Je suis le roller girl!


Tres magnifique!

Your Heart is an Empty Room

How lovely...






... are these images of abandoned buildings from The Kingston Lounge ? I was so excited to see these particular images, because when I was cycling around Brooklyn in a glorious daze a few years back I actually stumbled upon the VERY BUILDINGS these are in and was soooo curious to see what was inside. What a neat mystery to have solved years later via the magical interwebs!

I was way too scared to try and take a peek myself of course... having imagined that they were the secret hideout of a Warriors-esque New York street gang!!! Which would have been pretty exciting too... in fact... damn you interwebs for ruining my fantasamagorical vision!

And now, because I have fleetingly mentioned the Warriors, I have an excuse to link to perhaps the greatest opening credits of all time... click to enjoy...


Yipppeee! (Oooops... that wasn't very gangsta-y)

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